Wolfpack tamed by taller Huskies

Saturday

Feb 27, 2010 at 12:01 AMFeb 27, 2010 at 12:36 AM

SACRAMENTO - Undersized and overmatched, the West High boys basketball team ran out to a surprising early lead, but momentum shifted the moment Sheldon forward Ramon Eaton left his feet for the first of three spectacular dunks.

Jason Anderson

SACRAMENTO - Undersized and overmatched, the West High boys basketball team ran out to a surprising early lead, but momentum shifted the moment Sheldon forward Ramon Eaton left his feet for the first of three spectacular dunks.

The sixth-seeded Huskies (23-5) utilized superior size and athleticism in an 88-67 victory over the 11th-seeded Wolfpack (18-10) in a first-round Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoff game Friday at Sheldon.

The Huskies had a decided rebounding advantage, and Eric Williams made seven of Sheldon's 12 3-point goals to match West scoring leader Jordan Richardson with a game-high 27 points.

"I felt our effort, considering the size disadvantage that we faced and being on an opposing court, was outstanding," West coach Derek Sprecksel said.

"What we needed to happen to have a chance to win the game was we needed them to be cold from 3-point range - 15 percent or less - and we needed to at least be within five to 10 on the boards. Those things didn't happen, but our kids fought."

Sheldon has four players over 6-foot-5, including two major college prospects in Eaton, a 6-8 junior, and Darius Nelson, a 6-6, 225-pound junior forward who logged minutes at point guard. Nelson finished with 24 points, and Eaton had 21.

West has four players taller than 6-0. At 6-6, Darlington Brown is the only one over 6-3, and he left the game with his third foul early in the second quarter.

"He did a great job sticking his body in there, and all of a sudden we've got to put a 6-footer in for a 6-6 guy," Sprecksel said. "That's deadly when you've got 6-8, 6-6 and 6-4 guys coming at you."

The Wolfpack was up 26-21 after one quarter and still led by three with 6:15 remaining in the second, but the Huskies staged a 19-6 run over the final 5:47 to take a 47-37 lead. Nelson started the run with two long 3-pointers, and Eaton fueled it with two soaring dunks in 15 seconds.